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NC State RHP Shane Van Dam drafted by Kansas City Royals

image_6483441 (3)by: Noah Fleischman07/14/25fleischman_noah
Shane Van Dam
NC State right-handed pitcher Shane Van Dam and catcher Jacob Cozart talk on the mound. (Photo credit: Mollie Mitchell/NC State Athletics).

Another NC State pitcher is off to the professional ranks as junior right-hander Shane Van Dam was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the ninth round with the 278th overall pick Monday afternoon.

The former Division III SUNY-Cortland transfer made three appearances with one start, throwing eight innings with four runs allowed on seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts in his return from a torn UCL.

Van Dam cruised through his first spring at NC State before he left a May 3, 2024 outing at Florida State with arm discomfort after one inning. It was later diagnosed as a UCL tear, which forced Van Dam to undergo Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for NC State’s run to the Men’s College World Series in Omaha.

The reliever was able to work his way back onto the mound this spring as he ramped up to make his 2025 season debut at UNCW on May 6. He tossed two innings with three runs allowed on two hits with two walks and a strikeout. Although his first outing was rocky, Van Dam’s next two were a combined six innings with one run allowed on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Before he suffered an elbow injury in the 2024 campaign, Van Dam was a key bullpen arm for the Wolfpack. He posted a 4-0 record with a 4.58 ERA over 37.1 innings pitched in 16 appearances in his first campaign at NC State.

Van Dam, when healthy, was a go-to reliever for Elliott Avent’s ball club. He was the team’s go-to long reliever, posting a season-best eight strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched at then-No. 2 Clemson to help NC State secure an 11-8 victory over the Tigers.

Now, it appears his NC State career has come to a close as he was the Wolfpack’s fourth draft pick on Monday. He joined junior lefty Dominic Fritton (4th round, Tampa Bay Rays), shortstop signee Aidan West (4th round, Los Angeles Dodgers) and right-handed pitcher signee CJ Gray (5th round, Los Angeles Angels) as the Pack’s draft selections this weekend.

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